Feeding a Giraffe—with My Mouth

adventure, Africa, explore, love, Mental Health, Mystery, Teaching, Wellness, worldview

✨BRE🦒KFAST, anyone?✨

🦒Is there anything that freaks you out? Anything that just the thought of it makes your stomach turn? Anything that you said you’d never do? Anything that makes YOU look crazy?

😛I never thought I’d feed a giraffe with my own mouth, but I never knew I’d be given the opportunity to either. There’s a host of things we say we’ll NEVER do, but when opportunity knocks, our tune may quite possibly change.

🦒Today, DISCARD some of those NEVERS and FEED into some new MYSTERY, some new ADVENTURE—some #WILDLIFE.

#LetsGoDoBe

😛Tag someone who needs to be shaken up this morning.

P. S. Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

P. S. S. Much love to my #InstaMom @travelingblackwidow. Before I went to bed last night, I screenshot my pic my giraffe feeding for this morning’s post. I logged on this morning and I saw her post and was like 😍. Go check her out! 🦒

P. S. S. The tongue of the giraffe felt like SANDPAPER!

A Stroke THEN 7 Continents BEFORE 30 PODCAST

Anxiety, Depression, Education, explore, faith, family, Foreign Language, Health, Health, wellness,, Lesson Planning, Mental Health, music, Podcast, stroke, Teaching, travel, Uncategorized, Wellness

So here’s the deal:

I got to meet this remarkable young man who I shared a stage with at the Leadership Africa Summit this summer. Tayo Rockson invited me to speak on his podcast called “As Told By Nomads” which is not only sweeping the nation, but the entire world.

Check out the 👉🏿 podcast 👈🏿 to hear how I had a stroke and then STRUCK back.

Ciao for now!

Karissa

sevenby30.com/books

International Day of the Girl

Anxiety, Depression, Education, explore, faith, family, Foreign Language, Health, Health, wellness,, love, Mental Health, travel, Wellness, worldview

#InternationalDayOfTheGirl, let’s talk. 💋👇🏿

#StrokeSurvivor #TBT

This year marks 11 years since life struck me with a (mild) stroke.

It also marks…

• my Jesus year (33)

• 15 years since I graduated from high school.

• 11 years since I learned to write, speak, and walk again.

• 11 years since being sexually assaulted by my former boyfriend.

• 1 year since I truly forgave him and apologized for my attempts to tarnish his name.

• 9 years since I became a licensed evangelist missionary.

• 7 years since I graduated from college—four years “late.”

• 7 years since I took my first trip abroad.

• 6 years since I moved to China.

• 4 years since I moved to Saudi Arabia to teach at the largest women’s university in the world.

• 3 years since I made it to my 7th continent, Antarctica.

• 2 years since I wrote my first book.

• 2 years since my Mom got diagnosed with cancer.

• almost 3 months since my Mom went back to Heaven.

But daily,

I’m reminded that

HAVE

SURVIVED

EVERYTHING.

And guess what, girl?

You got this too.

No matter what life tosses your way,

slide on your gloves—lace or leather, and crush it with both hands.

You’re not just a survivor.

Not just a winner.

But you’re a girl.

And let me tell you,

WE have the POWER

to START and end wars,

to INFLUENCE and BIRTH nations.

to ENGINEER the most magnificent architectural masterpieces,

to TEACH and instruct with limitless intellect,

to CHANGE flat tires, diapers,

and the WORLD.

We were made well.

We were made slowly.

We were made last.

And you know what they say about the best. Yep, they’re always saved for last. 😘

But ladies, let’s be FIRST at walking together.

Let’s contend, not compete.

Let’s march together, girls. Let’s go. Let’s do. Let’s be.

#LetsGoDoBe ✌🏿❤️

“Beloved, I wish above all things that you would prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers.” #3John1v2

With Deep Love and Extreme Gratitude,

💋Karissa Denae Johnson

#BeforeAfter by Terrence Alexandre

🌟 #GloryToGod 🌟

✍🏿 karissa@sevenby30.com

S😭W 👉🏿 RE🌟P

Anxiety, Depression, faith, family, love, Mental Health, Wellness, worldview

S😭W 👉🏿 RE🌟P

Flip through the pages of 2018. Page after page you’ll see lots of light and laughter, yet heaps and loads of heaviness and devastation.

Let’s be honest. It’s not been all bad. There’s been a host of good things too. While I was inches away when my Mom took her last breath on earth, I found joy in the support of other friends who lost their mothers this year.

While domestic terrorist attacks and horrific violence plagued(s) our Nation and world, songs of healing and restoration follow quickly to be released in the earth.

Weeping truly MAY endure for a night, my friends. But there’s something so sneaky about JOY. Like the sun, it comes in the morning.

Be strengthened, party people. Know that it’s morning time. And we gon’ be aight.

#LetsGoDoBe #GoodMourning #Arise

L💋VE y’all.

👉🏿Karissa Denae

P. S. …………..Dear 2019,

…………………………….Brace yourself.

C😭URAGE

Antarctica, Anxiety, Depression, explore, faith, family, love, Mental Health, Wellness, worldview

I remember telling my sister @ladykroach, “I don’t think I can do this.”

“Just go up and tell your story and then it’ll all be over.”

This #TBT is from Creative Mornings this past spring. I was WILDLY depressed and suffered with EXTREME anxiety.

My topic: COURAGE.

The hosts didn’t know. The audience didn’t hear me say it. I got up there and spoke on bravery, Antarctica, exploring alone, blah, blah, blah.

But that blah, blah, blah ignited a ton of fire in a room full of people. All from a woman who didn’t recognize herself anymore.

I lost my identity while caring for my mother as she fought #lymphoma. My GREAT accomplishments of reaching my goal became a quiet whisper as I was divinely assigned to care for her. From Aug 2017-May 2018 I battled depression for the first time and anxiety in HEAPS like never before.

HOWEVER

I rose.

I pushed.

I prayed.

I spent time in nature.

I believed.

I received counsel.

I had therapy.

I cried in my Mom’s lap.

I exercised.

I ate well.

I prayed.

I cried in my pregnant sister’s lap.

I read the Word.

I exercised.

I meditated.

I got counseling.

I prayed.

I went up for prayer.

I spent time in nature.

I worked.

I booked speaking engagements.

I wrote.

I prayed.

I forgave myself for being too hard on myself.

I looked in the mirror and smiled.

I’ve learned the agenda of the enemy.

He desires to get into my HEAD to STOP the work of my HANDS.

If he can get in your head, your hands will stop. Your feet will stop. You’ll be frozen, paralyzed—unproductive.

BUT when you understand his strategy, you LEVEL UP with YOURS.

You do the work to BLOCK and BRUCE LEE KICK those thoughts away and combat them with DECLARATIONS and the TRUTH.

Today (if you’re still reading),

take the time to share this with someone who may need a LIFT or some encouragement. Let them know that a girl who traveled to all seven continents before the age of 30, came back home and fell FLAT on her face—and then RELENTLESSLY bounced BACK. And they can too.

You can not only BOUNCE back, but you can get your BOUNCE back.

LEAN on each other and LOVE on each other. That’s why we’re here.

#GoDoBe

💋Booking: karissa@sevenby30.com